Let her go
by CoolMintFire
Summary: Tohru runs away after an explosion from Kyo. But what if his anger is all she will remember about him?
1. Chapter 1

The night wore on as Kyo ran through the forest, searching. "Tohru!" He looked around, frantically. "Tohru, where are you? I'm sorry, Tohru, I shouldn't have yelled!"

His lungs burned and his energy was running low. "Tohru! C'mon! Can you hear me?" His foot hooked around an uprooted tree. He hit the ground, hard, air painfully exiting his lungs. He knew he should rest, but she was out there. Somewhere. The memories flooded back.

"Miss Honda, who was that boy you were walking with?" Yuki set his chopsticks down gracefully and rested his cheek on his hand.

"Um… just a friend, Yuki-kun," Tohru said nervously, picking at a suddenly-interesting string hanging off of her sleeve. Shigure almost missed the barely perceptible blush that flooded her cheeks. But writers pride themselves on not missing a thing.

"Why, Tohru. It seems he is much more than that," Shigure winked at her. "So who is the lucky boy?"

Yuki and Shigure leaned forward, while Kyo was fuming.

"His name is Minoka Ie. Ie-kun. And he's just a friend."

"The way you say that leads me to think otherwise, Miss Honda," Yuki smirked.

"When did you meet?"

"Is he a good person?"

"Where were you walking?"

"Has he taken you on any dates?"

The two guys threw questions at her like gossiping teenage girls.

"Enough!" Kyo slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone around him. He stood up quickly, hiding his eyes with his bangs, and stalked out. But not before throwing his uneaten food into the trash. This was a slap in the face to Tohru, an insult. Tohru tried to recover and smiled weakly. The men were aware of her fake smile. Tohru picked up her food (also uneaten) and threw it into the trash. "Dinner wasn't that great tonight, guys. I'll order takeout for you," she rounded the corner, but not before stopping at the doorway. "Sorry." She whispered.


	2. Tortuous Reveal

Kyo tore his fingers through his hair and began jogging again. "Tohru! Please," he repeated. "You need to come home, it's late." He called desperately. Why had he been so upset? He was aware of the many cuts and bruises he had acquired. He hoped Tohru still cared enough about him to treat them. He felt his energy draining, yet forced himself to go on.

"Good night, Tohru." Shigure said gingerly, trying to cheer her up.

"The same to you," she replied halfheartedly.

"Good night, Miss Honda," Yuki called from his room.

"The same to you, Yuki-kun." She called down the hall. Both doors closed, and Tohru was alone. She wanted to go to Kyo, to apologize. That's all she knew how to do. That, and ruin plans, and lives.

She climbed up to the roof, where Kyo was launching rocks as far as he could throw.

"Kyo…?" She could see he was still angry.

"What, stupid?" He growled and continued throwing rocks.

"I- I just wanted to…"

"I don't care. Just go away, ok? I don't care where you go, just stay away from me!" He looked at her furiously.

"Ok," she said timidly. "Goodbye, Kyo."

As she turned, Kyo noticed tears running down her cheeks. Tohru went down the ladder into the house. He just looked away. She cried all the time. Why should this be any different?

Kyo growled at his own stupidity. He looked around and spotted a pink cardigan torn to shreds, bloody on one sleeve. As he kicked it away, the tag showed a name written in tight cursive. 'Tohru Honda'.

Kyo again saw the stillness of night.

The rock he threw before he saw.

The small figure running barefoot.

The dark foliage looming over her as the woods swallowed her.

Tohru running away.

Away from him.

By his own command.

He shook his head. He couldn't beat himself up, not now. Looking around, he saw a necklace. It was a gold chain, with a diamond flower in the middle. The clasp had been broken.

"Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun, I love it!" Tohru jumped around and marveled the new necklace. She pitched herself into their arms, and with a *poof*, her arms were wrapped around a small mouse and a big cat. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just so happy, and-"

"Miss Honda, it's fine," Yuki laughed.

"Yeah, nothing to get worked up over." Kyo smiled, which was weird, coming from a cat.

"Hey, I helped!" Shigure was standing in the background. "Don't I get any credit?"

"Yes, of course, Shigure!" Tohru set the boys down and bounced onto her feet, laughing. Shigure opened his arms wide, while Yuki and Kyo muttered "pervert" under their breaths. Shigure was soon a dog, and the three of them collapsed. Soon, after puffs of smoke, and the harsh pushing of Tohru out of the room, they went on celebrating her 16th birthday.

Kyo clutched the necklace. He held it close to his heart, and continued looking. Suddenly, he heard coughing. Wet, nasty coughing. "Tohru?" He came to a clearing, where he saw a small, fragile body. He gingerly walked over to the figure and picked it up. Bruises covered her arms, legs, neck and face. Cuts laced around her ankles and tops of her feet. Nails were jagged and some were ripped. Kyo looked down and noticed his shirt was covered in fresh, dark blood. After inspection, he found her arm looked like ground meat, though mostly intact. She was losing a lot of blood. He tore strips of the cardigan and found the blood that was already on it had dried, and would be useless. He threw it away and tore the hem of his shirt, wrapping as much as he could around the wound. He ran frantically back to the house, holding tight to Tohru. He threw the door open and called into the house. "Yuki, call Hatori. Or a hospital, something! Shigure, get down here!"

Tohru writhed weakly in his arms. Kyo yelled. They weren't moving fast enough. He couldn't handle this himself, he was just a kid, please an adult, please, someone who could handle this.

"Shigure, Shigure… I need help, please..." His voice was ragged and tears were streaming down his face, and Shigure was there, taking her out of his arms, and the blood was flowing… there was so much blood...

Annnd that's chapter 2! Don't forget to leave a review and tap that liiiiiittle button there at the bottom. You see it? Yeah, you see it. I'd love some flames to fuel this CoolMintFire, so go ahead and leave them.


	3. There's nothing but hope

Suddenly, Hatori was there, an ambulance was there, and he was at the hospital. He didn't know when he had gotten there, who had taken him? It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was _her_ and the bed she was wheeled away in and the doctor that came out looking too happy for the situation she was in. Kyo almost pounced on the doctor like the cat that he was. "She will be okay," he spoke slowly, not fast enough, "she will be very weak. She will have to be in bed recovering. She cannot exert herself with anything."

Shigure nodded. "Of course, of course." But on the inside, he had collapsed with relief. Seeing a torn apart Tohru in the arms of a bruised, battered, and bloody Kyo was surprising and heartbreaking to him. But after three days the doctor sent her home with two cracked ribs, a stitched arm, a broken ankle, and many, many, scrapes and bumps. But she was alive! And very much in pain. Shigure sighed as he punched the number for takeout. It had been so long since he last called the restaurant he had to look at the menu for the number. How he would miss Tohru's cooking.

Kyo was laying on the roof, shaken and alone. Tohru was sleeping, probably dreaming of a place where he didn't exist. He looked up at the sky, replaying the moment that she had run away. He cursed himself for the fiftieth time that day for making her do that. He had screamed at Yuki that he would protect her, and for what? For him to hurt her four days later.

"Oi, cat." Yuki scurried up the ladder to look out onto the roof, too afraid to venture further.

"What, rat? Come to gloat? Lecture_?_ Nag?" His voice was level, lacking the smoldering anger it usually held.

"She wants you." He didn't say anything else as he stepped carefully down the ladder, sure to use every rung.

"Well, I won't go to see her. Stupid, running away in the middle of the night."

"Really?" His eyes narrowed. "You're really going to reject her again?" Without waiting for an answer, he spun on his heel and stalked inside.

Kyo, stunned, jumped from the roof. He walked into the house and took the stairs slowly, one at a time. As the cat approached the girl's door hesitantly, his mind was reeling. He grabbed the doorknob, and had never realized how cold it was, or how hard it was to turn. He shut his eyes and swung the door open quickly. Her back was toward him, and the air that was usually so light felt thick and heavy.

"Hey, Tohru."

She kept her back towards him. "Hello, Kyo-san."

The honorific usually used to describe an stranger, or one you didn't know. He gave up trying to be discreet and crossed the room, looking her over.

"Dang, it must have hurt. Here Tohru, let's get that bandage changed. I'm sor-" he rolled her over to see her bright eyes glistening with tears, and her face red from crying.

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun!" She buried her face into his stomach, sobbing into his shirt. Startled into silence, he stood there as she bawled.

'This isn't right,' he thought. 'Why is she apologizing?'

Of course. She wouldn't be angry, or resentful. She's Tohru. She would be apologetic.

She was still saying she was sorry to his shirt, so he put his hand on her head. He wished he could pull her close to her, but doubted he would be able to comfort her as a cat. After she had calmed down, he gripped her shoulders and pulled her away from his shirt. He knocked her softly on the top of her head once.

"You don't need to apologize."

"But, you had to carry me back. And find me. Even though you were angry with me. And I ruined your shirt."

"You're more important than a shirt, idiot. You shouldn't be sorry, I should. I yelled at you like a fool, and now..." His words trailed off as he examine her injured arm and ankle.

He began unwrapping the bandage and applied medication on the new one to avoid infection. She smiled up at him gratefully, and for that moment, everything was good.

Yuki sat outside of the door, listening to their camaraderie, scowling. Tohru was still alive, and she had forgiven Kyo. (Well, apologized to Kyo). But all he was thankful for was that she had no memory of her plight. That she hadn't seen him hiding in the trees.

That she didn't remember him pouncing.

Or how her arm had gotten shredded.

Or who had broken the necklace.

And her ribs.

And her ankle.

And almost her neck.

Yes, he was thankful she hadn't kept her memories. This way he could continue getting closer, and maybe one day, Kyo may be dragging home an unrecognizable corpse, not Tohru.

Maybe.

One day.

Do you think I should continue working on this story, or would it seem excessive? Tell me in the reviews. (Your wish is my command, dear readers, but do not go power crazy. For the sake of my sanity, don't.) And remember to keep sending those written works. If you have a poem, or a song, or a link to a video, I'll watch it and hey, I might do some shoutouts to your account.

Remember to leave a review. I need some flames to fuel this CoolMintFire! Thanks for reading!


	4. Trust is Like a Knife

She was running. She remembered the pain that swelled so large in her heart, the worthlessness. The forest flew through her peripherals, forgotten, each leaf someone had worked so carefully on in the construct of her dreams worked it's way through her line of sight in a blur. She didn't know what she was running to, just what she was running from. Kyo's angry face was what she saw through all of the tears. She saw it, the branch she tripped over that sent her off of the ledge. It twisted her ankle, sending a shock of pain through her leg. She saw a glimpse of silver that she dismissed as moonlight, and looked at the ground that was very quickly approaching. She then saw every detail of every leaf she was about to make contact with and then-

Tohru awoke in a flash of bright light. She had sat up in her blind panic, and quickly regretted it. Her ribs had a deep ache that seemed to always be just below the surface that no painkiller could relax away. Something had seemed wrong about that dream, some detail. The moonlight, perhaps. She saw it every night, but it had been late evening when she had run. The moonlight wouldn't have been streaming through the trees. She thought back to the dream, but it slipped away, as dreams do, like sand through a child's fingers. She wrested herself out of the bed with great difficulty. Holding a glass of water in one bandaged hand and a hearty amount of pill capsules in the other, Tohru made her way towards the door, never quite making it there. She stood in the middle of the room, not knowing what to do with herself. She was taking her last pill when Kyo walked in with a plate of rice and a small bowl of miso soup.

"Thought you might be hungry." He tried to smile, but it came out looking like he was baring his teeth.

"Thank you, Kyo-kun. I kind of wanted to eat downstairs today, though. I'm sorry you had to bring it all the way up here!" She grabbed the plate and started towards the door, trying to hide the limp she had and the difficulty breathing. He chuckled under his breath and carefully took the plate from her.

'She's getting better,' Yuki thought. 'She always gets treated well. She's never had any real problems with getting along with people. She's been bullied, but never secluded to the point of insanity. She's just a spoiled, over-apologetic brat.'

Though he did like it when she apologized. Even when it was for something meaningless, it was as if she knew she was a screw-up. Meaningless. He chuckled at that. The actions she believes warrant an apology are about as meaningful as she is.

He finished with the wet rag on the polished, now-slick wood of the stair landing. He retreated, knowing she would be gone soon enough.

Tohru limped ahead of Kyo, approaching the stairs. Just as Yuki walked by, her foot suddenly lost traction with the floor. She lurched forward, and suddenly she was flying face-first towards the staircase. Something warm wrapped around her hand, and the gentle touch soon grew too tight as she was wrenched from the air mid-flight, jerked back to Kyo's chest, then staring at the cat on the floor. "That was close." Kyo glared at the stairs. "You could have gotten re-injured."

She looked up from the floor and looked at Yuki, who seemed as though a scowl was just finished passing over his face. Her eyes traveled to his shirt that was covered in soup and rice and blushed.

"I'm so sorry, Yuki! Your shirt-" she jumped up to him as he backed away.

"There's really no need, Miss Honda. I am perfectly capable of cleaning myself." He retreated to his room, sneering at her in his mind.

"Tohru, do try to be more careful." Shigure looked down at the girl who now had Hatori bandaging her knee.

"I don't understand, I was just sitting in the yard and suddenly the chair was taken out from under me! I'm sorry you had to call Hatori-san. And Hatori-san, I'm sorry you had to come all the way out."

Hatori smiled up at her, his good eye peering through his hair. Ever since he had begun dating his new nurse, he had a brighter mood.

"Tohru, you know it isn't that far. And aren't we past calling each other -san? You've known me three years."

Her eyes widened. "I-I didn't know it bothered you Hatori-san. I mean -chan. Or -kun."

He looked back down, chuckling. "It's fine, Tohru. Don't hurt yourself." He placed the last bandages.

When Shigure called saying Tohru was hurt, he had panicked. He was in the middle of a date with his new girlfriend, and he had made a hurried excuse. He had left her after paying the bill and rushed over with a medical kit. He saw Tohru with a ice pack over a badly scraped knee, but nothing serious. He glared at Shigure but had begun bandaging the bloody knee, holding her hand when the peroxide stung, and now worked on her hands, pulling bits of rock out of her raw palms.

"So the chair just disappeared, sending you over a hill?" Kyo was done with these close calls.

"Tohru, you have to be careful. Someone's not always going to save you from yourself."

"You will, Kyo-kun. You did before." She glanced up at him and winced when a bit of rock hit an open wound.

"Well, what if I'm at school or something? What if one day, you just get up and leave and no one can find you?"

Hatori sent a stern glance in Kyo's direction. "Kyo, that's enough. She can't help when she gets hurt."

"No, Hatori-kun. He's right. I've been careless. I apologize." She stood up, bangs covering the top half of her face. She scraped her nails over her palms, effectively tearing out every bit of sediment, and walked quietly out of the room. Everyone that was in the room watched her go, stunned. That was the closest to an emotional outburst that they had seen from her. Yuki stood in the doorway, then turned so no one could see him grinning like a maniac. He didn't have to tear them apart, they were doing to themselves! He decided something. Maybe _he_ wasn't the one that had to end Tohru. Maybe... Maybe she'd do it herself.

He found Tohru in her room, stunned at herself. She had never really been angry before, not even at herself. She couldn't decide what to feel, so she turned to the closest emotion she could relate it to. She sank slowly into the dark sadness that she hid so often. She went into a deep depression at that moment, trying to recreate the intensity of the one she had felt downstairs. Yuki took his chances.

"That was quite an outburst, Miss Honda. Kyo looked- well, it was a feeling I could not name." He was the only one aware of his intent.

"Forlorn?" She looked up, eyes gleaming with tears.

"Well, no. He wouldn't feel that over one such as yourself."

"One such as myself? Yes, I suppose I am quite worthless." She lowered her head again.

The Yuki of two years ago would have reassured her. But he decided to push his luck further.

"Yes, I suppose so." His movement resembled a serpent as he sat beside her on the bed. "Kyo almost didn't check on you, you know. And when I spoke of not seeing you there, he told me to leave you alone."

These words were true. Kyo told Yuki to leave her alone, because she clearly went out there to be alone. But they were twisted with Yuki's malicious intent into an insult.

"Yes, I've been a burden to him. Perhaps I should just..." She grabbed the bottle of pills and dumped them into her hand.

"Oh no, Miss Honda." He grabbed her wrist, and looked into her eyes, his dark ones hypnotizing her.

"That would result in quite a mess in Shigure's house."

"Oh Yuki-kun, you're right. Thank you."

He smiled, a terrible wolfish grin. Patted her head. She had played right into his trap. She dipped the pills back into the bottle and held it as if she were second guessing.

'I've been such a burden. To everyone.' She reassured herself. 'They can go back to being a family again. They don't need a schoolgirl around.'

She quickly scribbled a note, simply saying 'This is for the best. Yuki-kun has helped me see what I've done wrong. Thank you for your help, and I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused. Goodbye. -Tohru Honda'

She left the room quietly, sweeping past Yuki who stood in the doorway, stunned at how easily she had given in. Then he realized, she had given up long ago. She had just needed to be reminded. He smirked at her weakness and glided over to the desk, efficiently ripping the note into unrecognizable pieces.


	5. A Thousand Silenced Words

She cried as she walked towards the creek. She had found it long ago, only a few yards away from Yuki's garden. With every step she took, hot tears rolled down her face, stinging from the scratches.

'Its for the best.' She thought. 'No one will have to deal with your silliness anymore.' And in that moment, she hated herself. She cradled her broken heart and whispered violent lullabies, telling herself she was worthless, how stupid it was to always dwell on her mother's death. 'When I reincarnate, Mom,' she sent up a prayer, 'I'll do better. I'll be even nicer. I won't disappoint you again.' Of course she was going to reincarnate, not just join her mom in heaven. She still had work to do. She was resolute at the thought of making everything better.

Hatsuharu glanced back over the hill Tohru had just walked over. Had she been crying? He shrugged and headed towards the house.

She had the pills in one hand and the water bottle in the other. Her heart was racing as she took them, one by one. Once the rest of the bottle had been finished off, (there had been about eight pills left) she immediately regretted it. 'What if this wasn't enough?' The thought hit her like a blow to the stomach. 'What if they find me alive and have to take care of me?' She swiveled around, looking for a way to finish herself off, the thought of burdening the men that had helped her so much made her panicky. When all seemed lost, and her vision was starting to fade, she caught a glimpse of the creek. And an idea.

Something tugged at the back of his mind. He turned and headed the way Tohru had. Shigure, who was near the door ready to greet him, began to follow. "Haru, Haru, what's wrong?"

Hatsuharu followed the bare footsteps of the girl and shouted back, "I think Tohru's in trouble." He jerked his head out of habit, sweeping the white hair out of his eyes. This statement made Shigure speed up as he trailed the boy. "Tohru, where are you?" Shigure sounded more serious than he had in a long time. They waited for an answer, and only heard something fall into the creek.

She heard Shigure and had decided to act fast. She was losing consciousness as she stumbled towards the deep creek. She had time to picture Shigure and whoever was with him finding her and being glad she was gone before the water surrounded her like gel and pulled her into the current.

"Tohru!" Hatsuharu crested the bank, eyes raking the water for a glimpse of a bow, a skirt, anything. He saw a yellow ribbon spinning, twirling, being taken with the water as easily as sand. As he ran towards the free flowing current, he tripped over something and almost ended up in the water. He looked down instinctively, and saw a white bottle, stark against the wet sediment. He picked it up, confused, until he read the label. "Shigure!" He shouted over the loud water. "Are these Tohru's?" He tossed the bottle at him, who caught it easily. When he, too read the label, his face went pale. He sputtered for a bit before nodding, a grim look on his usually easygoing face. Hatsuharu the took the same expression before shrugging off his jacket and jumping into the creek.

The water was cold. She knew that. She could feel herself slipping away. How she was still conscious, she didn't know. Hadn't she taken enough? Her body was no longer her own, being flailed about by the rocks she ran into. She couldn't feel anything except for the numbing cold that surrounded her. She strained to move her eyes, to see anything, and realized she couldn't breathe. She quickly inhaled and panicked when water flooded her nostrils. It tasted coppery and unclean, and she began to choke. She inhaled through her mouth and got the same effect. She felt completely flooded and cold. She thought she saw Hastuharu making his way toward her, but chalked it up to her imagination. She quickly faded out.

Her eyes were closing. Hatsuharu was spearing through the water, closing in quickly on the girl that looked suddenly so small in the wide space. She was twirling like a dancer, except underwater. He pushed the water behind him, getting closer. He reached out and closed his hand over her upper arm. He pulled her close to him, careful to keep their torsos from touching, lest he be turned into a bull. He cradled her In one arm and breached the surface with the other. Her head rolled back, and she wasn't breathing.

He rose out of the water and set her on the bank. Shigure met him with a worried look, and he began taking pulse and listening to her heart. It beat weakly, and Hatsuharu sat up, laced his fingers together, and pushed open palmed over her heart. "Come on, Tohru. Get up." He spoke through gritted teeth. Kyo and Yuki, who were confused as to why Haru hadn't shown up yet, were coming over the hill. They began running when they saw Tohru limp with Hatsuharu leaning over her. Shigure held Kyo back as Hatsuharu worked, performing emergency CPR. Yuki stood back, feigning shock. "How many pills were in the bottle?" Shigure called in an authoritative voice.

Kyo, in his panic, began trying to remember.

"She took two this morning, so eight or nine." He wracked his brain, fear and a racing heart clouding his thought process.

"Which was it, Kyo? Eight or nine? One pill could make the difference!"

"It was nine- no, eight! It had to have been eight, since she took the one that evening."

Hatsuharu leaned over her ear. "Eight pills, Tohru? And throwing yourself into a creek? What happened, girl?"

She, of course, didn't answer him. He breathed into her mouth again, (something Kyo would destroy him for later) and she convulsed, folding in on herself. She coughed up lungfuls of water, and began choking as Hatsuharu sat her up and rubbed her back.

"Call Hatori. She still has eight pills in her." He looked at Kyo, who ran towards the house. Tohru was still coughing in her unconscious state, forehead resting at the crook of his neck. He rubbed her back until she calmed down, and slumped onto him.

She wasn't supposed to still be breathing. Yuki's heart raced. She wasn't supposed to still be alive. That brat just didn't know when to die! He was pacing the hospital bathroom, having something that resembled a panic attack. He would have to do something. He couldn't just walk up and kill her, no. She had constant surveillance. He could run, tear off in a direction far from here. Or he could hope. Hope that whatever hit her in the head in that creek took some memory away. He looked at himself in the mirror and was surprised to see what he looked like. His teeth were bared, his hair a mess. He smoothed it down and took a few deep breaths. After composing himself, he strode confidentially out of the bathroom, eyeing the exit sign on the way out.

Kyo's heart clenched when her eyes opened. He reached out and touched her hand, to which she responded by grabbing his tightly.

"Now, the cold water could have caused shock. She just needs to rest, though she's been recovering quite well. I wouldn't be surprised if you noticed something odd after a little while, a nervous tic perhaps."

"Hey, Tohru." Kyo spoke in a voice not characteristic of him. It was gentler, as if he thought if he spoke too loud she might shatter. Suddenly, her breathing sped up and she reached around searching for something.

Hatsuharu held his hand out with the yellow ribbon, and she clutched it gratefully.

She took a deep breath in and everyone braced for an apology, but when her mouth formed the words, nothing came out. Everyone was stunned when she tried again with the same result. Shigure opened the door and grabbed the doctor's sleeve, yanking him into the room.

"Why can't she speak?" He pointed at Tohru who was trying to form words with tears in her eyes.

Ok, I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. But I'm posting this third chapter to make up for the fact that I have been pretty irregular with these. I can't work to a schedule, but I'll update weekly. How about Sunday? Let me know what day of the week I should try. If you want to send me any works of art, I'm accepting. These few chapters are bringing to light some issues I've seen more and more, like suicide. If you want to, I'm always willing to listen to you guys, so let me know if there's a problem . Love you, and I'm always waiting for feedback. Flames are needed to fuel this CoolMintFire, so let it burn!


	6. Expect the Unexpected

And back by popular demand, the continuation of Tohru's story. I understand there may be a trigger warning in the past three chapters. I apologize, but if you need to talk, I'm here. Again, I don't own Fruits Basket, nor do I wish to for fear that it wouldn't be the same if I were to write it. (Plus, Tohru wouldn't have ended up with Kyo.) so, enjoy!

"That could be a result of anything. Shock, stress, even depression." The doctor kept a level voice.

"But Tohru's not depressed!" Shigure looked about ready to fight the doctor. Hatori, who hadn't spoken until then, grabbed Shigure's arm.

"Shigure, she ingested eight painkillers, set the bottle down, and jumped into a creek. No one else was around at the time. This was a suicide attempt."

Tohru shut her eyes, her worst fear out in the open. They knew she was sad. She spent so much time hiding it, but she was still alive when they found her. She was a burden, and she couldn't even apologize.

Kyo stared at her, and worry darkened his bright eyes. He tried to squeeze her hand, but she pulled away. She wanted only to be left alone, so she could reflect on what she had remembered. The bandage around her head indicated she had been struck with a rock. That would explain the newfound memories.

Yuki jumping her in the woods.

Tearing her arm apart.

Trying to hurt her.

To kill her.

"A suicide attempt? Hatori, it's _Tohru_. Suicide?" They were out in the hallway while Tohru slept in the room.

"She was never able to properly grieve the loss of her mother. She was very good at hiding her depression."

"I spent every day under the same door as her. I would have noticed."

"And I've been coming over more often lately. Doesn't this all make sense? The injuries, the loss of appetite, the overall apologies? I mean, no one that was okay could find themselves doing everything wrong."

"I should know about feelings, I'm a writer. How couldn't I have noticed something was wrong?" He slumped against the wall until he reached the floor, legs pulled up to avoid tripping anyone. Hatori put his hand on his shoulder. "No one could have seen this coming, Shigure."

She was running, but the dream was more complete now. The sounds she heard, the rustling, the flash of silver. It wasn't Kyo she had been running from, it was him. Yuki. He chased her with an agility that he shouldn't have possessed. Leaping from tree to tree he tailed her like a wolf to a rabbit. She saw the branch and tears filled her eyes. She didn't want to trip. She didn't want to see this part. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to wake up. Then her ankle twisted and sent her reeling over the edge. She landed on her back and Yuki pounced, immediately beating her down so she couldn't rise. He went to work on her arm, tearing it apart. He grabbed her necklace and broke it from her neck, scraping the delicate skin. He threw it away haphazardly, far in the direction she had come. The pain was so real, so raw that she couldn't speak, could barely breathe, she was completely helpless. She began to scream, until a well aimed punch struck her jugular and she was left gasping for air. He jumped up and she got a lungful of oxygen and blood before the first blow came. Her side was being kicked, every time it happened she was winded and she prayed for what was inevitable. She was going to pass out. But every second she was awake seemed like an hour passing by, like each grain of sand was reluctant to pass through the hourglass. She choked on blood and sobs, struggling to breathe until-

She opened her eyes and was face to face with her attacker. She found she could breathe, so she did what she could do with an inability to form words. She screamed. She screamed and kicked until she saw the white in the background. Until she noticed she wasn't being attacked. That Haru and Hatori and Shigure were looking at her, worried. She turned and tried to run from him, to get away and was met with Kyo's torso. She sagged against him, crying into his shirt. He held onto her and looked at Yuki, who reached for Tohru. She screamed again and tried to get further away. He reached back and stepped away. Everyone around them was shocked, looking at Tohru with faces full of worry. Kyo glared up at Yuki, who seemed just as surprised as the rest were. "Get out." He growled, and Hatori opened the door. Yuki left the room quietly, in a state of shock. Kyo pulled Tohru closer as she cried.

Yuki wasn't allowed in the room anymore, since every time he approached her she would begin screaming. Yuki could offer no explanation for it, and the doctor said it could have been something related to the injuries, and had Yuki been near when this happened?

"He went into her room before she left the house, but they were just sitting there talking. Nothing aggressive, just talking." Shigure had walked by when they had been in her room.

"Then it could have been that. He was the last person she saw, therefore associated with a bad memory. It's very common, and should be better once the shock retreats. It would probably be best if they were separated while she recovers." The doctor wrote a prescription for an antidepressant and a suggestion for a therapist. "This should help with the depression once she recovers. When she takes the pills, make sure she is monitored. Luckily she didn't take enough for an extreme overdose, and getting her stomach pumped did the trick." He handed them the slip of paper. "And don't worry about payment. Anything for a friend." He smiled at the room she was in.

"You know her?" Shigure looked back at the room.

"I knew her mother. And I did a back surgery for her grandfather. All very nice people. That's why I was surprised to hear about the attempt. Her grandfather takes care of her well, doesn't he? I'm sure living with him isn't that bad?"

The men exchanged glances. Clearly he hadn't heard about her residence with the Sohmas. "It could have been anything," Shigure offered. "But thank you for taking care of her."

"Are you her friends? I understand the boys, but... You are a little... Older than her, aren't you?" The doctor looked puzzled. The men looked at each other, panicking.

"I-I'm her maths teacher," He stuttered in his lie. "And this... Is the school physician." He gestured to Hatori.

The doctor believed him. He nodded and laughed. "Of course, of course."

Yuki sat in his room, opting to go home since he couldn't help with Tohru. He again paced the floor, muttering to himself. What could he do? She clearly remembered his attack. He should just run away. He began packing a bag when the door opened.

"Yuki?" Hatsuharu stepped into the room. Kyo followed behind him. "I think it's about time we had a chat."


	7. Banished

Kyo reached into the wastebasket beside the door. Scraps of paper rested in his palm when he brought it back up. Tohru's destroyed note.

"So hurting her wasn't enough, huh? You were ready to let her go without a note, or any sign that she was suffering?" He took a step towards him, Hatsuharu following closely behind. The paper crumpled in his hand as he let it drop to the floor. Yuki backed up, but kept a resolute manner, as if backing up were his idea.

"How did you figure it out?"

Kyo scoffed. "She screamed whenever you got near her. It was pretty easy to connect the dots. So what did you do, rat? Hand her the pills and the water? Give her written instructions? Beat her?"

"I just helped her see what she had done wrong." He stood defiantly. "Well, and caught her alone in the woods. I mean, that was too easy."

"I'll kill you for that."

"You're the reason she was in those woods, cat. You're the one that pushed her away. I just pushed her a little further.

Hatsuharu seemed to understand at that moment. He looked at the scraps. Some of the scraps had words, others many words.

"Sorry"

"Tohru"

"See"

"This is for the best"

"What I've done wrong."

He held that one in his hand, gingerly, as if it were going to disintegrate. He looked up at Yuki, a broken look in his eyes.

"What did she do wrong, Yuki?" His voice was level, Black Haru lurking, humming just below the surface.

"Can't you see? How much we-"

"What did she do wrong?!" He shouted. The house seemed to shake. "She did nothing that deserved that. She cooked for you, cleaned for you, took care of you when you were sick, I _saw_ it, Yuki! I saw what she did for you all and this is what she deserved? She didn't do anything wrong!"

"But she-"

"What was she always apologizing for? She was always apologizing to everyone, she even put 'I'm sorry' in the note! The last thing she ever said was 'I'm sorry', because she was convinced she was worthless! What did she do wrong?" He roared. Even Kyo stepped back a fraction of a step.

"She was worthless!" Yuki shouted back at him. "She was nothing but a brat. She was spoiled all her life."

"Living in a tent is spoiled, Yuki? Not having anything to yourself is spoiled? Cooking and cleaning for three guys all by yourself to pay for room and board is spoiled?" It was Kyo's turn to yell. "She did everything you asked, exactly when you asked her to, and you have the right to stand in front of me and call her _spoiled_?"

Yuki had nothing to say. He sputtered for a moment until Kyo was yelling again.

"She lost her mother and was never allowed to grieve because she had to put a brave face on so you could feel better about yourself, and when she finally broke, you pushed her over the edge." He was red in the face before Haru broke in.

"She tried to kill herself, Yuki." He was quieter again. "Did that occur to you? She would have died. You would have had to sit through her funeral."

"I would have enjoyed it!" He shouted in response. Kyo was standing over him in an instant, and a bright burst of pain exploded in his head. Crimson cascaded from his nose. As he bent over, Kyo kneed him in the stomach, winding him.

"Funny how familiar this is," he choked out, smiling. "'Cept I've never seen it from this point of view."

It was Hatsuharu that delivered the next blow. He pushed Kyo out of the way and aimed a roundhouse kick to Yuki's temple. The silver haired boy hit the ground on his hands and knees, still smiling evilly.

"She cried, you know. She cried and cried. Couldn't breathe for most of it, so she made kind of a breathless sob. Sounded a whole lot like your name." He laughed, a dry rasping sound. Kyo kicked him in the ribs so he fell to the carpet. Blood stained the rug.

"Kami, I'm sure it felt like hours for her." That horrible laugh again. "Each second ticking by, as she slowly bled into the ground."

"Shut up!" Hatsuharu landed a blow to his hip, causing him to groan.

"When she tried to scream, you know what I did?" His split lip was beginning to swell. He looked up at the boys. When they didn't answer, his eyes narrowed as he smiled. "I punched her in the throat."

Kyo broke out of his haze then, and kicked him hard in the ribs. "Don't talk about her anymore."

"Why not? Isn't that what this friendly gathering is all about? Your little charity case?"

"Shut up!" Hastuharu bellowed over the rat's heavy breathing, and picked him up by the back of his shirt.

"What are you going to do, kill me?" He laughed again, like styrofoam being sawed in half.

"I just might." Hatsuharu growled in his ear. A brief flicker of fear rolled over his face before he was dropped to the floor harshly. He was on his hands and knees, catching his breath. Kyo threw his bag at him. "Pack up, and get out." Then he stalked out of the room with Haru in tow.

He threw his stuff into a bag and left out of the back door, with a 'don't come back' courtesy of Kyo.

He wouldn't come back. But he hadn't given up.

The first call came two months later.

An unknown number with a familiar voice at the end.

Tohru, who had fully recovered, though shakily with the depression, had been seeing a therapist and taking her antidepressants obediently, as to not be a burden. Hatsuharu became a live-in and made sure Tohru was taking her medicine, as the only one trained by Hatori. Tohru, after four days of Yuki being gone, regained her voice and her liveliness. All was well in Shigure's house.

Until Tohru's phone rang.


	8. A Cry of Silence

MAJOR trigger warning, but stay strong.

I don't own Fruits Basket, I merely control their lives through fanfiction.

_All was well in Shigure's house._

_Until Tohru's phone rang._

"Hello?" Her voice was cheery, after all Kyo had just taken her on a date. Well, they had gotten lunch.

"Hello, Miss Honda." The voice on the other end was rotten and low.

Her stomach dropped as if she were on a roller coaster. The phone nearly fell out of her hands. "Who is this?" She whispered.

"You know who it is, Tohru." He snickered.

She took a deep breath in. "Ah, ah, ah, Tohru. Don't scream. You wouldn't want anything to happen to your dear friend Rin, would you?"

"You have Rin?" Her voice rose up at the end.

"Yes, and she's quite the lively one. She's inside, blindfolded and tied up. Anything could happen to her." He laughed.

"What do you want?" She was willing to do anything for Rin.

"Why, nothing Miss Honda. Simply your discretion. Don't tell anyone I called, or that I'm making contact, and none of your friends have to die, deal?"

That was all? She sighed shakily, too scared for Rin to think straight.

"Deal." She whispered.

"That's a good girl. Now, where should I leave Rin? I know; she'll be at our special place, ok?" He laughed and hung up the phone before she could inquire about the place.

She made her way towards Yuki's garden, only to find it empty. She looked through the forest, thinking of memories that they had shared. Walking along the path was useless. The creek was nowhere near correct. She walked in the forest until she saw it. The thing that haunted her. She saw the branch. The branch she had tripped over so many times in her dreams. She looked over the ledge and saw Rin tied up where she had been attacked. Rin's cries were muffled by the gag in her mouth. The usually standoffish and rude girl now looked vulnerable and afraid on the forest floor. She ran to her and untied her quickly, with shaking fingers. Once the blindfold was off, Rin sat up and hugged Tohru. "Tohru, I was- thank you."

She looked around. "How did I get here?"

"You were kidnapped." Tohru was shaking.

"I know that. Who brought me here?" She looked at her quizzically.

"I don't know, I just- I just found you here while I was walking." She thought about her deal and felt sick.

"It must have been a girl, because I didn't change. Hey, Tohru, where are you going?" Tohru had stood up and was walking away.

"You'd be safer at home, Rin. I'm sorry this happened to you."

"Tohru, you didn't cause this..." Rin stood and reached for her arm. The moment they made contact, she pulled away.

"Just go home, Rin!" She went to the house quickly, leaving her behind.

At first they were calls. He would call her and just talk to her, about things that had happened and what was going on. He would talk about how he would come back for her one day, how easily he would get rid of her. This blended in with what he was talking about as easily as talking about the weather. She felt like a captive when she heard him on the other end. She didn't miss a single call, for fear that he would hurt her friends. She often ended up outside in the middle of the night, listening to the voice on the other end and responding in hushed whispers. One conversation was particularly disturbing.

"Hey, Tohru?" He sounded distant.

"Yes, Yuki-san?" She was shaking, as she always did when he called.

"Did you really want to die when you took those pills?" He kept his distance from the main topic. That he was the reason she had taken them.

"No. I just wanted to start over." She shook with the truth of her words.

"You can start over. When I come to take you, you'll start over."

"Ok, Yuki-san," was her response.

Then he began messaging her, at first every once in a while, then she was getting texts by the hour. They would be short conversations, or just singular messages, such as "one day," or "remember me?"

The torment was daily, hourly. She had no choice but to endure silently, crying in her room when her phone pinged with every new message. She coped as she did with her mother. She stored it away in a vault deep inside. But since it was Yuki, who had engrained himself with so much of her development, a large part of her personality followed her fear into the vault. Her journals and diaries, once filled with doodles and happy daily messages now had words carved into the pages instead of written. The ink would stain her arms and shirts and she would throw them away. Her journals were filled with fearful messages and frightened scribbles. He began emailing her, on the computer she had saved up for at work. The same as his texts, short messages. They didn't come as often, due to her inability to be on the computer at work. She became introverted, a shell of who she used to be. Her frame grew smaller as she had lost her appetite long ago. The girl that looked at her in the mirror was gaunt and frail, seeming more like the shadow that the sun cast on the wall rather than the figure it shined on. She was numb. She turned to pain as she tried to return feeling to her lifeless form. Her nails bit into the flesh of her thighs and upper arms, easily hidden by her clothing. She left long, ragged marks, trails of blood stopped only by the uprooted skin. Finally the numbness was broken, and she was able to feel, if only for those few moments.

She was in the kitchen when Hatsuharu broke. She had reached up to grab a bowl while she was cooking, and her sleeve had slipped down, revealing for a moment the pain of the past few months. She had turned to wearing baggy clothing so as to not worry the Sohma men in the house of her vanishing frame. It had happened so fast, he hadn't been able to respond to the first evidence. Directly after the sleeve had slipped, Tohru realized the bowl she had grabbed was suddenly too heavy. She had been able to lift the bowl a month ago. It fell to the ground in slow motion before hitting the floor and shattering. Glass flew everywhere, and settled on the floor. Everyone jumped when they heard a slam of the plate on the table and another shatter as white ceramic bounced on the wood. Hatsuharu held the unbroken half and set it atop it's broken pieces. The other men came to investigate as he stood up quickly, strode angrily toward the kitchen, and grabbed Tohru's small wrist. Hard.

"Ow. Hey-" she tried to pull away, but he held fast. "Stop it. Haru, you're hurting me." When she sagged, tired from her brief struggle, he reached toward the hem of her sleeve and pulled it down to her elbow. Nail marks and scars dragged across the smooth skin, like red paint splashed on a white canvas. The skin looked peeled back where her nails had dug, as though someone were pulling back a curtain. Kyo and Shigure surveyed her wrist in shock.

"What is this?" Hatsuharu looked at her, anger teeming just below the surface of his false calm. His grip was beginning to bruise her wrist.

"Haru, please, you're hurting me." She again tried to pull away.

"What is it, Tohru? You may be able to hide it from them, but you can't hide from me!" He was roaring. Tears fell freely from her eyes. When she didn't answer, he picked her up easily, due to the weight she had lost from not eating, and carried her into the bathroom. Shigure and Kyo followed, fearful of what he might do.

"How much did she weigh at the hospital, Shigure?"

"I-I don't know. I didn't think to pay attention." He sputtered, wondering how her weight could factor in to this situation.

"How much did she weigh?" He shouted at the adult, Black Haru taking over.

"153," Kyo answered. Shigure looked at him, puzzled. He shrugged. "I wanted to help."

"153, huh?" He looked at Tohru, who was crying. "Betcha don't weigh near that much now, eh Tohru?"

He set her on the bathroom scale and watched as she ticked in 131 pounds. He didn't even bother to convert it to kilos, they found it easier to work with the American system.

"22 pounds in four months. 22 pounds, Tohru," he stared at her, searching her eyes as if her would find the answer there. "And not to mention these." He pulled her sleeve to her elbow again. Once more they were affronted by the old and fresh nail marks carved into her wrist. He stood up and whispered something to the other men. They nodded and Kyo entered the bathroom, while Hatsuharu and Shigure backed up as he drew the door closed. "Tell me what's wrong, Tohru," he sat down beside her on the lip of the tub. "You seem so withdrawn, and the light seems to disappear from your eyes more and more every day and I can't handle it, Tohru. What's happening to you? You don't have to be alone."

The inside of her head screamed. One side screamed "tell him!" While the other shouted "don't let him get hurt!" And she put her head in her hands and sobbed. "I just want it all to go away." She looked up at him, eyes puffy. He pulled her in and she rested against him. In that moment thathello, she couldn't see his face, he was afraid of what would happen. He was afraid that he would lose her again.

Hello, faithful readers, the ones that haven't given up on me yet. I need some flames to fuel this CoolMintFire, so bring on the heat!


	9. Ringing In The Ears

I don't own Fruits Basket, I'm simply controlling their lives through fanfiction.

She came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, eyes puffy from crying. She had made up an excuse about her mother's death driving her to do this. The lie created a lump in her throat, and settled at the bottom of her stomach. Kyo and Shigure seemed to accept it, but Hatsuharu looked at her skeptically. Nevertheless, they allowed her to leave.

She was up in her room that night, and everyone had just finished dinner. She had eaten a little, to calm the men down, who watched her through the meal. The food just rested in her stomach, adding to the knot created by the lie. She stared at the phone, at the new message that read:

_"Come and get me. The alley by Hatori's office. Let's play tag."_

Her heart raced as, impossibly, tears welled up in her eyes. Her time had come. She was going to die.

Her phone pinged again with another message.

_"And bring a cage for your tiger."_

Kisa. She envisioned the small girl gagged and bound in the same way Rin had been. All doubt about going vanished from her mind as her stomach dropped. She thought about all he had done to her, and all of her shyness and timidity melted away into rage that made her shake with it's intensity. She had given every hour of her day to him, and she was going to take her life back. Fear still made her heart race like a stallion, but she was seeing her room in red. She was sick of being afraid. She very slowly walked to the kitchen and pulled the the third blade from the knife block: the steak knife.

She wasn't going to die tonight.

The transformation happened so suddenly, every animal in the house's hair stood on end. They looked at each other and quickly stood up, heading for her room as she headed out the front door. Hatsuharu pushed the door open and stared at the mess. Since she was usually neat, the state of the room surprised them. Journals and torn paper littered the carpet, small spots of blood joining them. Shirts were piled in the corner, all long sleeve. The sleeves were stained in red, blue, and black ink. The shades on the window were drawn, and the room was lit only by a small table lamp. Shigure flipped the switch to turn on the main light. They saw blood and pens on the desk, the bed, and the window sill. Hatsuharu surveyed the room grimly and then turned to Kyo. He knew his cousin didn't want to see the next part. "Go look around the house. See if she's anywhere around."

He nodded and went on his way, even though all three knew she wasn't. Hatsuharu shut the door behind him and Shigure. He headed to the computer as Shigure picked up one of the many journals that was flung across the room, both looking for clues as to where she might have gone. He flipped through the small blue spiral bound notebook, watching as the entries started out sunny, and continuously got darker in the time after the incident. Soon they weren't coherent, just one or two words per page, looking as though the pen were closer to being put through the paper, not on it.

_One day._

_He's coming._

_Help._

_Help me._

_Please help me._

Some pages were wrinkled from tears, some were crumpled and almost torn out of the notebook. Shigure almost teared up himself, his eyes stinging. Pure desperation was scattered across the many journals.

"Jesus," Hatsuharu was muttering at the laptop. "This was everyday for her." He turned the computer so Shigure could read some of the emails. "I was trying to figure out where she might have gone, but this caught my eyes." He looked around guiltily, not entirely comfortable with looking through her emails.

Shigure face rested in his hand, looking tired and older than he was. His eyes travelled the screen, an unreadable look on his face. Hatsuharu looked over his head at the email he was reading.

_Miss Honda,_

_I do hope you're getting these. It would be a shame if you didn't know what was going to happen once I come to collect you. You still care for your friends enough to hold the deal, correct? You've never been one to stop caring. I've been thinking about which zodiac member I would choose if you did give up on them. Perhaps Hiro. Anyway, I was just reminding you what you were responsible for. _

_Your friend, _

_Yuki Sohma._

"He kept contacting her," Hatsuharu growled. "He beat her into submission and then kept beating. Of course she didn't eat, I feel sick now."

"Hatsuharu, stop." Shigure held his hand up. He was still coming to terms that Yuki, YUKI, had done all of this. And that he hadn't been able to stop it.

Kyo opened the door and looked at them crowded around the computer. "She's not here. There's a knife missing from the block, but the front door is open. She's gone." He looked devastated.

"What are you looking at?"

Hatsuharu swiveled away from the desk, allowing the cat to read the screen. He watched Kyo's expression turn from guilt to confusion to anger.

"What was the deal?" He spoke levelly.

"We believe that he traded our safety for her discretion. He was able to contact her without us knowing." Shigure finally spoke up, voice shaking.

Kyo's hand balled into a fist and he slammed the table.

His eyes caught on the phone sitting on the bed. He glided over and picked it up, punching her birthday in for the password. The screen flashed red. Two more tries. He tried her locker combination. The screen flashed again. He thought for a second and then punched in his own birthday. The phone unlocked as his throat closed up.

"That idiot." His wrist rose to his eyes, wiping away what was in his eye. He refused to believe it was a tear. He scrolled through her texts, and like he expected, hundreds of the texts were from Yuki. He scrolled to the most recent messages, and spotted the last two. "The alley by Hatori's building. He's got Kisa." He turned to the men.

"It's strange," Shigure said. "I got the same feeling then that I do when Haru goes black."

Hatsuharu blinked. "Wait, Kyo- did you say a knife was missing from the block?"

"Oh my God." They all blinked to understanding.

"Do you think-" Kyo started.

"She went to... Fight him?" Shigure could have laughed at the image of little Tohru fighting Yuki.

"Does she even know how to use a knife?" A line developed between Hatsuharu's eyebrows.

"Guys, do you know what this means?" Kyo looked panicked.

"Tohru's finally angry?" Hatsuharu offered.

"Tohru's got a black side?" Shigure guessed.

"It means there's an injured, malnourished Tohru heading barefoot to fight Yuki, someone none of us can beat in a fight." His pride stung, but it was the truth. They bolted from the bedroom and ran down the staircase and out the door.


	10. Just Finish It

I do not own Fruits Basket, I simply control their lives through fanfiction.

I also do not own "When I get where I'm going", which is sung by Dolly Parton and Brad Paisley.

Tohru approached the alley, feet bruised from walking on the rocks. The knife was tucked in the waistband of her skirt, sheathed by the shirt that was tucked into it. She saw Kisa in a dog cage. Her eyes flashed and she was numb to the cold air, the rocks under her feet, and the rain that was beginning to fall. She walked, unafraid of the night around her, and crossed toward the unconscious girl in the cage. He had been especially cruel, and she looked as though she hadn't eaten in two days. She remembered Shigure saying something about her "running away" three days ago. She had felt guilty at the time, but now she wanted revenge. Blood trickled from Kisa's head, traveling down her temple. She wasn't bound, but the rope burn around her wrist hinted that she had been at one point. She opened the cage and used all of the strength she still possessed to pull her halfway out. Her head rested in Tohru's lap. She pulled her legs close to her chest out of instinct, pulling her the rest of the way out of the kennel. She pulled off the sweatshirt Kisa had around her waist and folded it under the small girl's head.

"Just stay there, princess." She smoothed down her hair and kissed her forehead. "Onee-san will take care of it."

She stood up carefully, as to not pierce herself with the knife. As she walked forward, Yuki slowly came out of the shadows.

"Hello, Miss Honda." The insanity in his eyes matched the rage in hers. The two were face to face with only ten feet of air between them, each of their spirits broken and replaced because of the other.

"Did you like the cage? Took me ten extra minutes, but I thought it was a nice touch. You know, irony. The mouse capturing the cat." He smirked. "Well, a type of cat. Sadly, I couldn't get close enough to Kyo. I wouldn't have dirtied my hands with that abomination anyway."

She was shaking with anger and the cold, suddenly aware of the fact that she didn't have a jacket or anything to shield her from the wind or rain. It was falling heavier now, wetting the hair of both of them.

"You really are foolish. Coming here defenseless." He stared at her, confused at her silence. She hadn't said a thing, despite how incessant she usually was.

'Not quite defenseless,' she thought, and smiled at herself.

He saw her. "What? What are you smiling at? You're going to die! I've won! Why are you happy?" He was shouting.

When she didn't respond, he stomped like a petulant child. "Why aren't you answering me?!" He began running toward her, and without thinking, her right leg swung around and hit him in the face. This movement caused the knife to run it's tip along her thigh, causing a cut that was about four inches long. She couldn't feel a thing. He was laid out on the rocks when she leaned down.

"Because I'm not afraid of you anymore." She reached towards the waistband of her skirt when his hand shot up and wrapped itself around her small neck. She smiled even more, and she wasn't afraid.

"What are you going to do, kill me?" She looked at him, eyes turning bloodshot.

He was unnerved, but nodded nevertheless.

"I don't know if you realized, but that's going to be harder than you expected." She swiftly removed the knife from her skirt and plunged it into his side. He screamed, and his fingers stiffened around her throat. They locked eyes for what seemed like hours until his hand flew from her neck to his side. He shakily pulled the knife from his body. Blood pooled on the ground. He swung the knife, cutting her cheek and shoulder. She grabbed his hand, unfazed, and took the knife from his fingers. She spun it in her hands and buried the knife in the base of his throat.

They say that you have your last moments of life are spent completely sane. That you look upon your mistakes and begin to regret. Perhaps that's why Yuki was looking up at Tohru with immense pain in his eyes. He stared up at her, at what he had driven her to do, and felt a twinge of guilt. Everything fell away, and he didn't see the girl that he hated. He saw her and the real reason he had attacked her. Because he loved her. Because she had chosen Kyo. Because when he had told her good night that day, she had been distracted. She had went to the roof to apologize in a situation that she hadn't done anything wrong in. He loved her so much... That he was going to let her go. He gave her one last gift. He dipped his fingers in the blood that had gathered at his side. Tohru snapped out of her rage and saw what she had done. One of her best friends lay dying at her side, her knife in his throat. She slid his head onto her lap as he reached up and smeared the blood over the cut and choked out the spell as quickly as he could.

Take my blood, take my curse

Transfer the bond, become the first

Another year, another soul

Proverb from the days of old.

His hand rested on her face for a moment, then he slowly, shakily took breath after breath, each one more difficult than the last.

"Don't cry, Tohru. Come and find me when you get where I'm going."

"Tell Mom I said hi." She smiled sadly, tears falling freely.

"I'm scared, Tohru." He looked at her, his eyes wide and sorrowful.

"Don't be scared. It's just like going to sleep. You just have to close your eyes." Her breath hitched.

"Can you sing to me?" He asked her as he started breathing with much more difficulty.

She nodded, and a sob escaped her. She held his hand tightly and began to sing the first song she thought of.

_When I get where I'm going,_

_On the far side of the sky_

_The first thing that I'm gonna do, _

_Is spread my wings and fly._

_I'm gonna land beside a lion,_

_And run my fingers through his mane._

_Or I might find out what it's like_

_To ride a drop of rain._

Yuki's breathing became more labored, and she touched his face lightly.

_When I get where I'm going_

_There'll be only happy tears. _

_I will shed the sins and struggles_

_I have carried all these years._

Her voice was quieter, and softer. As if singing too loudly would make him shatter.

_And I'll leave my heart wide open_

_I will love and have no fear._

_When I get where I'm going_

She choked up and sobbed.

_Don't cry for me down here._

He coughed, and she whispered softly to him.

"Just close your eyes. I'll be here."

And slowly, very slowly, he took his last breath. He sagged against her as she cried. She took him off of her lap, kneeled beside him and put her hand on the knife handle as Kyo, Hatsuharu, and Shigure rounded the corner. They stopped once they saw a very tired Tohru with Yuki dead at her knees.

"Tohru!" The three men rushed at her, Hatsuharu stopping to scoop up Kisa. She saw Kyo and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't return the hug but kept his arms out wide. Everyone went silent as she cried against him. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Tohru, did we miss something?" Shigure prodded lightly. She started crying harder when she pointed to Yuki's body. "He-he's dead."

"Yes, Tohru, I can see that. Anything else?" Shigure stared at Kyo. She hiccuped and backed away in awe. Where a cat should have been on the ground, Kyo still stood, stunned.

"Kyo- I... Has the curse been broken?" She looked at the men. "Oh, that's great! I apologize for crying, I just..." She began, but Hatsuharu stepped forward and hugged her. Kyo looked at his warding bracelet and began to slide it off of his wrist. His human image flickered and Shigure put his hand on Kyo's wrist, stopping him. Shigure looked back up, eyes wide.

"The curse is still standing. Tohru, how are you doing that?" He questioned her. Hatsuharu was still hugging her, not used to being able to do so. She began to answer when she collapsed against the white-haired boy. A puff of smoke erupted, but when it cleared the boy was still standing. A small, brown mouse lay on the ground, along with one yellow ribbon tied around the middle. Tucked under the ribbon was a small piece of paper, which Shigure read as Kyo scooped the mouse off of the ground.

"It's my gift to her. Keep her safe. -Yuki."


	11. I think this is The End

I do not own Fruits Basket, but you guys know that.

This is it, the last chapter. I may write an epilogue, but I think the end is epilogue enough. So, yeah. Now I can dedicate more time to my other story. I had a lot of fun writing it, and it evolved so much from the beginning. My characters actually evolve on their own as I write them, and become a whole new person. Here it is, so enjoy!

Tohru woke up in her bed, seeming to have transformed into a nightgown. She looked over at Hatori, who was sitting next to her.

"The disorientation wears off after a while." He smiled at her.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at him and began crying, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Yuki, I-" she erupted again.

"I know," he comforted her.

"How many people know?" She leaned back and looked into his good eye.

"The zodiac. We've been told not to talk about it. Everyone loved Yuki, but understand that he was mentally unstable at the time. He is pardoned from anything he might have done, as long as you permit it." He looked at her, knowing of her forgiving nature.

"As long as I permit? I don't-"

"As the first zodiac member, Yuki had more privilege than you realize. A better position could not have been asked."

"Of- of course he can be pardoned. I loved Yuki like a brother. I just- I killed him-" she burst into tears. Kyo, who had been sleeping because he had spent the night by her bed. Hatori nodded and backed away from the mouse, being quickly replaced by the cat. She cried on his shoulder until she ran out of tears.

"There are some very anxious people here to see you, Tohru." Shigure said, and backed away from the door to reveal Momiji, Kisa, and Hiro. Momiji immediately launched himself at her, frowning when he didn't transform. He got over it quickly and hugged Tohru.

"Tohru, it's so good to see you! I can hug you now, and you saved Kisa, and Yu- well, nevermind. I can hug you!" He hugged her again and she laughed. Kagura, Rin, and Ayame showed up when he bounced off. Kisa walked shyly up to her and hugged her, which she would have been able to do regardless, but this was for different reasons. "Thanks for saving me, Onee-san."

Hiro walked up to the bedside and crossed his arms, surveying her. "You look awful."

Kyo smacked him in the back of the head and he straightened up. "I mean, well- thanks for saving Kisa. And me, I guess. All of us. I'm not gonna hug you, but... Here." He handed her a bunch of daisies. "Kisa thought you would like them. Well, welcome to the family."

She held the daisies close to her chest. "I love them, Hiro-kun. Oops, I mean Hiro-san."

"Hiro-kun is fine," he blushed.

"Ok, Hiro-kun! Oh, we have to find a vase for the daisies!" She began to get up, and Kyo bumped his fist on the top of her head. "Stay in bed, Baka Nezumi."

She looked at him, startled at the nickname she had heard almost every day. It had never been directed at her.

"Sorry," he said, gritting his teeth.

"No," she said softly. "I like it. It should live on."

Everyone looked uncomfortable with the conversation.

She looked at all of them, her new family, and her face crumpled at the missing spot beside Shigure, the silver haired boy that should have been standing silently, so prince-like it felt like he should be in a castle, not a house in the middle of the forest. His brother stood in the back of the room, eyes darting between her and the picture of the three of them at his shop. They had just been getting along.

She couldn't stop the tears from falling onto her hands. She knew she must look a mess, but she didn't care.

"I'm- I'm sorry, everyone. Ayame, your brother..." He stiffened when Yuki was mentioned, but quickly relaxed and crossed towards her.

"Tohru, he could not have given us a better gift. We do not hold you accountable. Besides, a girl as pretty as you should not cry." He looked about ready to go on one of his spiels, they could practically see the flowers forming around his head.

"Pretty girls are the lifeblood of the world-" he began. Hatori grabbed his shoulder. "Aya, there is a time and a place."

He shut his mouth quickly. Ritsu came in later, of course threatening suicide as an apology for being late. The rooster was no where to be seen, for he was usually by Akito's side.

They all ate takeout, since no one allowed Tohru to three men watched her as she ate, making sure all of her food was gone. When they all began to leave, everyone hugged her, even Hiro, seeming glad at the opportunity. As if one day it would disappear. She was sitting in her room with Shigure, Hatori, Kyo, and Harsuharu.

"So, Tohru has a black side." Hatsuharu stated the obvious.

"Yes, I suppose so." Shigure agreed. Tohru looked around, confused.

"Wait, I don't remember-" she began.

"You don't, at first. Then it starts to come together," Hatsuharu said softly.

"It's weird, you're the last person I'd expect to have one." Kyo looked at the ceiling. He grabbed her hand and squeezed, then looked away blushing.

"Well, Haru, you're just going to have to teach her." Hatori stated simply. "Because we can't have her doing this every time she goes black."

They laughed morbidly, then felt bad about it. It was as if he was in the room with them, laughing along.

"Does this mean you get the garden, Tohru?" Shigure glanced at her quizzically.

She blushed. "Oh, I don't- I don't know. I mean, if one of you wants it, I can-"

"Nah, we don't want the garden," Kyo put his hand on the top of her head. "Go ahead, Tohru."

"In fact, since it rained last night, why don't you go check on it, Tohru?" Shigure suggested.

"Yes, I'm sure the sunshine would do you well." Hatori smiled.

"Bring me back some raspberries, Tohru." Hatsuharu tossed her some gloves he had seen on the bookshelf.

"Alright, get out. Let her change." Kyo filed the men out of the room.

Shigure stayed behind. "And I will help-"

The back of his shirt was yanked through the doorway by Kyo, and he flew as the rest of him followed.

Tohru chose her steps carefully, avoiding the mud that seemed to be everywhere. She hadn't noticed how much it had rained the night before. Looking around, she saw the trees anew. They glittered with sunlight reflecting off of the water droplets left behind from the storm. The air smelled fresh, like rain and spring grass. She inhaled deeply as she approached the garden. The strawberries stood out against the green, vibrant. Suddenly, she saw Yuki there. He kneeled next to her again, showing her how to plant their favorite fruit. The memory made her heart ache as she kneeled next to the vines, not noticing the mud that splashed on her pants. She went about picking the few weeds that grew next to the fruits. Yuki would have been horrified at the fact that they grew in the first place. She wanted to giggle at the thought, but it died in her throat as soon as it rose.

Shortly after she began pulling at the weeds, she heard a slight scratching sound to her right. She looked over to see a small silver mouse perched at her feet. Offering help, as the mice had helped Yuki when her tent had been buried by the landslide. She shook her head kindly, but the mouse didn't scurry away. Instead, he nuzzled closer to her foot. She reached down and opened her hand to him. Without hesitating, the silver mouse jumped into her palm. She held him up and saw a certain kindness in his eyes. A certain, familiar kindness. He ran quickly up her arm and perched on her shoulder, squeaking in her ear. She plucked a strawberry off of its stem and handed it up to him, and he took it from her fingers. He began nibbling on it as though strawberries were his favorite thing in the world. He stayed on her shoulder until she finished weeding, and ate the strawberries she handed to him as she picked them. When she stood up to make her way towards the raspberry bushes, he crawled carefully down her jacket, and her heart sank. But instead of leaving, the small mouse tucked himself into the pocket of her jacket, the same one she would carry Yuki in when he accidentally transformed in public. He fit in the pocket perfectly, just as he had, like that's where he belonged. She looked down at him, and he looked up at her. She reached down, petting him with her index finger.

He closed his eyes, and for the first time in months, Tohru smiled.

This was a lot of fun, and thank you for your support. Read and review, especially since those reviews make us authors feel warm and fuzzy. (Especially the ones that you guys voice your astonishment and give me tips) also, I need some flames for this CoolMintFire, so let it burn!


End file.
